Climate change is already harming Americans’ lives with “substantial damages” set to occur as global temperatures threaten to surge beyond internationally agreed limits, a major US government report has warned. Even 2C warming is likely to have major ramifications for societies, as the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report spelled out. More than 100m people in the US live in places with poor air quality and climate change will “worsen existing air pollution levels”. Climate change will “disrupt many areas of life” by hurting the US economy, affecting trade and exacerbating overseas conflicts. Photograph: Jason Miczek/ReutersThe national climate assessment is mandated by Congress to compile the latest research on climate change.

Source: The Guardian November 23, 2018 18:30 UTC